If you’re new to my 52 zippers project, you can read the backstory, see all the zipper pouches, and download basic zipper pouch instructions here.
For this pouch, I wanted to make something that would be like a pencil case to hold some pens and markers separately from a notebook or sketchbook. I came across this Close at Hand case and thought it looked super cute! This pattern was designed to hold diabetes testing supplies, but obviously can hold just about anything that fits.
For the exterior, I used this beautiful Amy Butler print. I wish I knew the name of the print for the lining, because I love it too! Instead of making the lining pockets as written in the pattern, I made them both such that they would hold pens.
This pattern took a really, really long time to make. I think it might have been 6-8 hours, which is way more than I had intended to spend on a case this size. I think it turned out well, but it’s unlikely I’ll make it again because of that.
Overall, I am very pleased with how this bag looks, but it is a fair bit bulkier than I was expecting so I’m not sure of its future in holding pens and then tucked into a small handbag like I had planned… I can see this being much more useful holding something more three dimensional things, like a rotary cutter, crochet hooks, etc. I’ll definitely be keeping it and see if I can’t find something clever for it to hold!
One note of caution about this bag—the binding on this bag looks lovely, but is such a pain to put on! I do appreciate how the byAnnie’s patterns have you quilt the outside with the lining so that the lining lies nice and flat, but that seems to always mean a binding step at the very end that is really unpleasant to do. For this bag in particular, I had to trim down the seam allowances all around the bag to just 1/8″ to get the binding to wrap over the edges and cover the seam. If I would have had more of the woodgrain fabric, I would have just re-cut the binding wider, but sadly I did not and had to make do.
Zipper pouch specs:
- Size: exactly as written in the pattern.
See you back here next time with another zip pouch!
